The actress Janet Brown, who became a television star for her impersonation of Baroness Thatcher in the 1980s, has died aged 87.

Having begun playing popular personalities on The Mike Yarwood Show, her impression of Britain's first female prime minister even led to an appearance as Lady Thatcher in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. In recent years she had appeared in shows including Midsomer Murders, Casualty and Hotel Babylon.

Her agent, Susan Angel, said that the actress had died in her sleep at a nursing home.